Toenail trace element status and risk of Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Results from the FINBAR study

Trace elements have been cited as both inhibitory and causative agents of cancer but importantly exposure to them is potentially modifiable. Our study aimed to examine toenail trace element status and risk of Barrett's oesophagus (BO) and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC). Toenail clippings from each hallux were obtained from 638 participants of the FINBAR (Factors Influencing the Barrett's Adenocarcinoma Relationship) study comprising 221 healthy controls, 98 reflux oesophagitis, 182 BO and 137 OAC cases. The concentrations of eight toenail trace elements were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Using multivariable adjusted logistic regression analysis, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated within tertiles of trace element concentrations. A twofold increased risk of BO was observed, but not OAC, among individuals in the highest tertile of toenail zinc status OR 2.21 (95% CI, 1.11-4.40). A higher toenail selenium status was not associated with risk of OAC OR 0.94 (95% CI, 0.44-2.04) or BO OR 0.89 (95% CI, 0.37-2.12). A borderline significant increased risk of BO was detected with a higher toenail cobalt concentration, OR 1.97 (95% CI, 1.01-3.85). No association was found between toenail levels of chromium, cerium, mercury and OAC or BO risk. This is the first case-control study to investigate a variety of trace elements in relation to OAC and BO risk. Despite antioxidant and proapoptotic properties, no associations were found with selenium. Higher concentrations of toenail zinc and cobalt were associated with an increased BO risk, but not OAC. These findings need confirmation in prospective analysis.

Modelling coronary heart disease mortality in Northern Ireland between 1987 and 2007: broader lessons for prevention

To quantify how much of the coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality decline in Northern Ireland between 1987 and 2007 could be attributed to medical and surgical treatments and how much to changes in population cardiovascular risk factors.

Gold nanoparticles as novel agents for cancer therapy

Gold nanoparticles are emerging as promising agents for cancer therapy and are being investigated as drug carriers, photothermal agents, contrast agents and radiosensitisers. This review introduces the field of nanotechnology with a focus on recent gold nanoparticle research which has led to early-phase clinical trials. In particular, the pre-clinical evidence for gold nanoparticles as sensitisers with ionising radiation in vitro and in vivo at kilovoltage and megavoltage energies is discussed.

Synthesis and in Vitro and in Vivo Evaluation of a Series of Dihydroisocoumarin Derivatives Conjugated with Fatty Acids, Alcohols, and Amines as Potential Anticancer Agents

In this paper, we report the synthesis and biological activity of a series of dihydroisocoumarin analogues Conjugated with fatty acids, alcohols, or amines, of varying hydrocarbon chain length and degree of unsaturation, to (he dihydroisocoumarins, kigelin and mellein, at the C-7 and C-8 positions on the core dihydroisocoumarin structure. These compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468) and melanoma cells (SK-MEL-28 and Malme-3M) using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Two compounds Conjugated with gamma-linolenyl alcohol (18:3 n-6) demonstrated potent antiproliferative activity in vitro with one of these 4-hydroxy-3-oxo-1.3-dihydro-isobenzofuran-5-carboxylic acid octadeca-6,9,12-trienyl ester, demonstrating significant antitumor activity in vivo ill a number of human tumor xenograft models.

Bacteriophages as anti-infective agents: recent developments and regulatory challenges.

The biennial meeting on 'Exploiting Bacteriophages for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Medicine', held in London, UK, on 20 January 2012, and chaired by George Salmond (University of Cambridge, UK) hosted over 50 participants representing 13 countries. The highly multidisciplinary meeting covered a diverse range of topics, reflecting the current expansion of interest in this field, including the use of bacteriophages as the source of biochemical reagents for molecular biology, bacteriophages for the treatment of human and animal diseases, bacteriophage-based diagnostics and therapeutic delivery technologies and necessity for, and regulatory challenges associated with, robust clinical trials of phage-based therapeutics. This report focuses on a number of presentations from the meeting relating to cutting-edge research on bacteriophages as anti-infective agents.

Organised Criminals as 'Agents of Obligation': The Case of Ireland

Relying on Brown’s (2005a, b) thesis that contemporary shifts in penal policy are best understood as a reprisal of colonial rationality, so that offenders become ‘non-citizens’ or ‘agents of obligation’, this article argues that this framework finds support in developments in Irish criminal justice policy. Recent legislation aimed at offenders suspected of involvement in ‘organised crime’ is examined through this lens. These offenders have found themselves reconstituted as ‘agents of obligation’ with duties to furnish information about their property and movements, report to the police concerning their location and, importantly, refrain from criminal activity or face extraordinary sanctions. It is therefore argued that this paradigm is a useful heuristic device through which to understand recent developments in Irish criminal justice and elsewhere. In light of the trends observed in Ireland, certain refinements and extensions to Brown’s argument are put forward for consideration.